Deuteronomy 4:32-39

32 "Indeed, ask about the earlier days that preceded you, from the day God created man on the earth and from one end of the heavens to the other: Has anything like this great event [ever] happened, or has anything like it been heard of?
33 Has a people ever heard God's voice speaking from the fire as you have, and lived?
34 Or has a god [ever] attempted to go and take a nation as his own out of [another] nation, by trials, signs, wonders, and war, by a strong hand and an outstretched arm, by great terrors, as the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?
35 You were shown [these things] so that you would know that the Lord is God; there is no other besides Him.
36 He let you hear His voice from heaven to instruct you.[a] He showed you His great fire on earth, and you heard His words from the fire.[b]
37 Because He loved your fathers, He chose their descendants after them and brought you out of Egypt by His presence and great power,
38 to drive out before you nations greater and stronger than you and to bring you in and give you their land as an inheritance, as is now taking place.
39 Today, recognize and keep in mind that the Lord is God in heaven above and on earth below; there is no other.

Deuteronomy 4:32-39 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 4

This chapter contains an exhortation to Israel to keep the commands, statutes, and judgments of God, urged from the superior excellency of them to those of all other nations, De 4:1-8, from the manner in which they were delivered, out of the midst of fire, by a voice of words, but no similitude seen, De 4:9-15, and particularly the Israelites are cautioned against idolatry, from the consideration of the goodness of God to them, in bringing them out of Egypt, De 4:16-20, and the rather Moses is urgent upon them to be diligent in their obedience to the laws of God, because he should quickly be removed from them, De 4:21-24, and should they be disobedient to them, it would provoke the Lord to destroy them, or to carry them captive into other lands, De 4:25-28 though even then, if they repented and sought the Lord, and became obedient, he would be merciful to them, and not forsake them, De 4:29-31 and they are put in mind again of the amazing things God had done for them, in speaking to them out of fire, and they alive; in bringing them out of another nation, and driving out other nations to make room for them; all which he improves, as so many arguments to move them to obedience to the divine commands, De 4:32-40 and then notice is taken of the three cities of refuge, separated on this side Jordan, De 4:41-43, and the chapter is concluded with observing, that this is the law, and these the testimonies, Moses declared and repeated to the children of Israel in the country of Sihon and Og, who were delivered into their hands, and their lands possessed by them, which laid them under fresh obligations to yield obedience to God, De 4:44-49.

Footnotes 2

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